Court Disqualifies Umahi As APC Senatorial Candidate

Federal High Court sitting in Abakaliki, Ebonyi, Southeast Nigeria has dismissed a suit filed by Governor Dave Umahi of the state, asking the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise him as a senatorial candidate.

Gatekeepers News reports that the court in its ruling on Friday recognised Ann Agom-Eze, who came second in the May 28 senatorial primary for Ebonyi south, which was conducted by the All Progressives Congress (APC).

According to NAN, the court, however, ordered INEC to conduct fresh primary within 14 days for the district.

Umahi had, through his counsel, Roy Nweze, filed a suit against INEC, asking the court to compel the commission to recognise him as the senatorial candidate for the district.

The Governor’s brother, Austin Umahi had earlier been declared winner of the APC senatorial ticket for Ebonyi south.

However, another primary was held on June 9, during which Austin withdrew, and the Ebonyi governor reportedly contested unopposed and won.

Although the APC had listed Dave Umahi as its senatorial candidate for Ebonyi north, INEC excluded his name in the list of candidates it published for the 2023 elections.

The Ebonyi governor was a presidential candidate on the APC platform at the time his brother won the senatorial primary; he, however, lost the presidential ticket to Bola Tinubu.

At the court sitting on Friday, the presiding judge, Fatun Riman said Umahi was not an aspirant and could not have participated in the primary.

Riman stated that according to Section 115 of the Electoral Act 2022, the governor neither procured forms nor participated in the primary, and as such, cannot claim any right based on the senatorial primary.

In reaction to the development, counsel to Agom-Eze, Nnaemeka Nwonwu expressed satisfaction over the judgment.

Nwonwu said, “Yes, the court has ordered APC to conduct fresh primary to ratify the candidacy of our client, Ann Agom-Eze, who took the second position as governor’s younger brother has withdrawn.

“The court has given 14 days from today, Friday, to conduct a fresh primary for the zone.”

Efforts to get the reaction of Umahi’s counsel were unsuccessful.